The invention relates to a device and a method for controlling functions of a vehicle on the basis of gestures.
Vehicles (in particular motor vehicles) are currently typically equipped with radio keys. These radio keys usually have a plurality of physical (largely mechanical) buttons, which can be used for opening, closing, and/or for unlocking the trunk. In some countries (for example, the USA), the radio keys additionally have a dedicated physical panic button, by the actuation of which the alarm system of the vehicle can be activated. Fixed functions (for example, opening/closing the doors, triggering the alarm system, etc.) are generally associated with the physical buttons of the radio key. A subsequent adaptation of the function associated with the button is only possible in a very restricted scope (for example, the restriction of the “opening/closing” function to the driver door or the expansion of the “opening/closing” function to all doors of the vehicle).
The construction (i.e., in particular the design and the size) of conventional radio keys of vehicles is decisively influenced by the physical buttons. Further integration and reduction in size of the radio key is generally limited by an ergonomically required minimum size of the physical buttons. Furthermore, accommodating the buttons in the radio key results in relatively complex construction methods and relatively complex production processes.
The physical buttons of a radio key usually each have an electrical switch or an electrical sensor, which detects an actuation of an associated button by a user. The structure of a button thus requires, for example, a microswitch, suitable control electronics, a pressure-sensitive mat, the use of multicomponent plastics, special glazing of the button symbols, etc. The costs of the buttons and the associated switches/electronics are therefore typically substantial in comparison to the overall costs of a radio key. Furthermore, the buttons can impair the leak-tightness of the radio key, which makes it more difficult to protect the electronic components in the interior of the radio key against environmental influences. Susceptibility of the radio key to environmental influences, for example, moisture, can result in substantial warranty costs for the producers of motor vehicles.
Finally, the number of vehicle functions which can be controlled using a radio key is limited by the number of the buttons of the radio key. In addition, the vehicle functions associated with a key can only be adapted to the requirements of the user to a very limited extent.
In addition to the control of vehicle functions in the exterior of the vehicle (for example, the opening/closing of vehicle doors), the demand exists for simple control of functions in the interior of the vehicle (for example, the control of functions of an information and entertainment system or the control of functions of an air-conditioning system of the vehicle). For this purpose, a vehicle typically has a plurality of buttons in the interior of the vehicle, on the basis of which the respective functions can be controlled. These buttons are usually only accessible by the driver of the vehicle, so that passengers (in particular passengers on rear seats of the vehicle) usually have no capability for activating a specific vehicle function in the interior of the vehicle. In addition, the driver can be distracted from the traffic during the actuation of a button for controlling a vehicle function, which could result in safety risks.
The present invention addresses the above-described technical problems in the control of vehicle functions. In particular, the present invention describes a robust and cost-effective radio key, which can be used in a flexible manner for controlling a plurality of functions in the exterior and/or in the interior of a vehicle.
According to one aspect, a radio key is described, which is configured to control at least one function in a vehicle. The radio key can be configured to communicate with a corresponding vehicle via a radio interface (for example, a high frequency, HF, radio interface). The radio key can furthermore be configured to authenticate itself with the vehicle via this radio interface. In particular, the radio key can comprise a communication module, via which the radio key communicates with the vehicle and/or via which the radio key authenticates itself with the vehicle.
The radio key includes a gesture detection module, which is configured to detect a movement sequence of the radio key. The gesture detection module can include, for example, a gyroscope and/or an acceleration sensor. In particular, the gesture detection module can have a three-axis gyroscope in combination with a three-axis acceleration sensor.
Furthermore, the radio key includes a control module (for example, a microprocessor), which is configured to initiate the execution of a function associated with the detected movement sequence in the vehicle. This can be performed, for example, in that the radio key transmits a signal associated with the detected movement sequence to the vehicle (for example, to a corresponding supervision unit in the vehicle). The signal associated with the detected movement sequence can comprise, for example, a sequence of sensor signals, which were detected by the gesture detection module as a result of the movement sequence of the radio key. The control module can also be configured to determine whether the detected movement sequence corresponds to a first of at least one predefined gesture event. For this purpose, the control module can compare the detected movement sequence (for example, the detected sequence of sensor signals) to the at least one predefined gesture event (for example, to at least one predefined reference sequence of sensor signals). If the detected movement sequence corresponds to the first predefined gesture event (for example, if the above-mentioned comparison results in a sufficient similarity of the detected movement sequence to the first predefined gesture event), the control module can be configured to initiate the execution of a function associated with the first predefined gesture event in the vehicle.
In one exemplary embodiment, the radio key includes a memory module (for example, a random access memory (RAM)), which is configured to store a plurality of predefined gesture events. In this case, the control module can be configured to determine whether the detected movement sequence corresponds to a first of the plurality of predefined gesture events. In particular, for this purpose, the control module can compare the detected movement sequence (for example, the detected sequence of sensor signals) to the plurality of predefined gesture events (for example, to a plurality of reference sequences, which describe the predefined gesture events), and determine that the first gesture event exceeds a similarity threshold value and has a maximum similarity to the detected movement sequence in relation to the other predefined gesture events.
The radio key can furthermore be configured (via the communication module) to transmit a transmission signal associated with the first predefined gesture event, where the transmission signal is suitable for the purpose of informing the vehicle that the first predefined gesture event was detected at the radio key. The transmission signal can comprise one of a plurality of code words, for example, which uniquely identify the first predefined gesture event in relation to the others of the plurality of gesture events. The transmission of a transmission signal associated with a gesture event generally requires a smaller transmission bandwidth on the radio interface between radio key and vehicle than, for example, the transmission of the (possibly coded) sequence of sensor signals, which was detected by the gesture detection module.
The radio key can be configured for the purpose of recognizing that the radio key is located in a predefined vicinity (for example, in a vicinity of less than 2 meters) of the vehicle. For this purpose, the radio key can receive signals from the vehicle (for example, from the supervision unit in the vehicle) and thus ascertain whether it is located in the predefined vicinity. The gesture detection module can be configured for the purpose of only detecting the movement sequence of the radio key when the radio key is located in the predefined vicinity of the vehicle. A power consumption of the radio key can therefore be decreased.
The radio key can be configured to ascertain a position of the radio key in relation to the vehicle. For this purpose, the radio key can receive a plurality of signals from a plurality of points of the vehicle. The signals received from the radio key can be analyzed to ascertain the position of the radio key (for example, interior or exterior of the vehicle). For example, the vehicle comprises a “keyless go” function, on the basis of which a position of the radio key can be ascertained. The function associated with the detected movement sequence in the vehicle can therefore be dependent on the position of the radio key.
The at least one function in the vehicle can include one or more of the following functions: a function with respect to a lighting of the vehicle (for example, front headlights on/off; “follow me home” lighting on/off); a function with respect to external mirrors, doors, windows, or a trunk of the vehicle (for example, fold external mirrors in/out, open/close driver door, lower/raise windows, open/close trunk); a function with respect to an alarm system of the vehicle (for example, panic function); function with respect to an air-conditioning system of the vehicle (for example, raise/lower temperature in the vehicle); and a function with respect to an information and communication system of the vehicle (for example, page forward/page back in menu pages, raise/lower audio volume).
The at least one predefined gesture event can describe a movement sequence of the radio key with respect to one or more of the following parameters: a movement direction (for example, horizontal/vertical, right/left, up/down); a chronological sequence of movement directions (for example, a first movement direction followed by a second, different movement direction), a movement speed (for example, slow, i.e., below a slow threshold, fast, i.e., above a rapidity threshold); and a chronological development of the movement speed (for example, acceleration from slow to fast). These parameters can be combined in manifold ways to define a gesture event.
The radio key can furthermore include an armband to fasten the radio key to an arm of a user. This can be the case, for example, if the radio key does not have to be fixed at a specific point in the vehicle to start an engine of the vehicle (as is the case, for example, in the “keyless go” function). The radio key thus does not run the risk of falling out and unintentionally triggering a function of the vehicle in this case. In addition, a simple and traffic-safe control of functions can thus also be performed in the interior of the vehicle, since the view does not have to be turned away from the traffic situation, because the control occurs via the gesture recognition module located on the wrist.
As an alternative or continuing measure for preventing unintentionally performed gestures from resulting in undesired events, in one exemplary embodiment, an initial gesture can be defined, which is used as a trigger for an actually intended gesture or sequence of further gestures. This initial gesture can already be predefined or can be predefined by the user himself.
Because of the capability of controlling vehicle functions on the basis of gestures, in one exemplary embodiment, the radio key does not include any mechanical buttons (in particular, no mechanical button for controlling a function in the vehicle). This has the advantage of a cost reduction and greater robustness of the vehicle key.
According to a further aspect, a supervision unit for a vehicle is described. The supervision unit is configured for controlling at least one function in the vehicle and includes a supervision unit communication module, which is configured to receive a signal associated with a movement sequence of a radio key from the radio key. The signal associated with a movement sequence of the radio key can be, for example, a (possibly coded) sequence of sensor signals, which was recorded by a movement sensor of the radio key. On the other hand, the signal can be a transmission signal, which is associated with a predefined gesture event, which was detected in the radio key as a result of the movement sequence of the radio key.
A supervision unit control module (for example, a microprocessor) of the supervision unit is configured to initiate the execution of a function of the vehicle associated with the received signal. For this purpose, the supervision unit can include a supervision unit memory module (for example, a random access memory (RAM)), which is configured to store an association between a plurality of received signals (for example, a plurality of transmission signals or a plurality of predefined gesture events) and a corresponding plurality of functions of the vehicle.
The supervision unit can be configured to ascertain a position of the radio key in relation to the vehicle (for example, on the basis of a plurality of antennas attached at different points in the vehicle, which communicate with the radio key), and the supervision unit memory module can be configured, for each of a plurality of different positions of the radio key (for example, the exterior of the vehicle and the interior of the vehicle), to store an association between the plurality of received signals (for example, the plurality of transmission signals or the plurality of predefined gesture events) and a corresponding plurality of functions of the vehicle. This allows different vehicle functions to be controlled, for example, in the interior and in the exterior of the vehicle, on the basis of gestures, which are detected using the radio key.
According to a further aspect, a system for controlling at least one function of a vehicle is described, wherein the system includes a radio key and/or a supervision unit, as described in the present document. Furthermore, the system includes a configuration unit, wherein the configuration unit is configured to execute one or more of the following tasks. For example, a gesture event of the radio key can be defined on the basis of the configuration unit. The defined gesture event can be stored, for example, in the memory module of the radio key and/or in the supervision unit memory module. On the basis of the configuration unit, for example, a predefined gesture event can be associated with a transmission signal. This association can be stored in the memory module of the radio key, for example. On the basis of the configuration unit, for example, a transmission signal can be associated with a function of the vehicle. This association can be stored, for example, in the supervision unit memory module. On the basis of the configuration unit, for example, a predefined gesture event can be associated with a function of the vehicle. This association can be stored, for example, in the supervision unit memory module.
It is to be noted that in specific exemplary embodiments, the configuration unit can be used in systems which only include the radio key (but not the supervision unit). The configuration unit is then used for configuration of the data stored on the radio key (for example, for configuration of gesture events which are stored on the memory module of the radio key) and can be implemented, for example, as a software program runnable on a computer separately from the vehicle and from the radio key. In further exemplary embodiments, the configuration unit is used in combination with the supervision unit (i.e., separately from the radio key). The configuration unit is then used for configuration of the data stored on the supervision unit (for example, for the configuration of gesture events which are stored on the supervision unit memory module). In general, according to a further aspect, a configuration unit for configuration of a radio key and/or for configuration of a supervision unit is described.
According to a further aspect, a method for controlling at least one function of a vehicle is described. The method comprises the detection of a movement sequence of a radio key (for example, on the basis of a gesture detection module in the radio key). The method furthermore comprises the determination of whether the detected movement sequence corresponds to a first of at least one predefined gesture event. This step can be performed, for example, within the radio key or within a supervision unit for a vehicle. If the detected movement sequence corresponds to the first predefined gesture event, a function of the vehicle associated with the first predefined gesture event is initiated. This initiation is performed, for example, by transmitting a transmission signal corresponding to the gesture event from the radio key to the supervision unit and/or by generating instructions of the supervision unit to a component of the vehicle, which has to execute the associated function.
It is to be noted that the methods, devices, and systems described in this document can be used both alone and also in combination with other methods, devices, and systems described in this document. Furthermore, any aspects of the methods, devices, and systems described in this document can be combined with one another in manifold ways. In particular, the features of the claims can be combined with one another in manifold ways.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.